unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (10/28/89)
Addressing the issue of the net transfer of resources, he said a
narrow focus on that issue implied that primary responsibility
for developing countries' growth lay with external forces.
Domestic economic policies were a crucial part of any successful
development strategy, and policies to generate domestic savings
were extremely important. Net transfers said little about a
country's growth prospects. All the major Asian borrowers were
net transferrers, but continued to have high growth rates and
rising international reserves. Another element in the picture
of overall resources was capital flight, which diverted domestic
savings away from domestic investment and reduced a country's
tax base. Recently, capital flight had declined in some
countries because of policy improvements, but much of the capital
already abroad had yet to be repatriated.
HASSEN ELGHOUAYEL (Tunisia) extended condolences to the
delegations of China and the United States with regard to the
earthquakes experienced by those countries. He then expressed
satisfaction, in general, with the Economic and Social Council's
performance regarding rationalization of its work. However,
some provisions of resolutions concerning that question were
still a dead letter, particularly in areas of activity which
involved the Secretariat. He called for concrete measures to be
implemented by the Secretary-General in that regard. The impact
of the Council and of the United Nations was at stake in regard
to socio-economic activities. That question must be addressed
urgently.
He expressed satisfaction with Council's action regarding
international co-operation in the field of computer science,
which had evolved from a Tunisian proposal. Computer science
was a very important instrument of development. The Council
must be involved in that field. He also expressed satisfaction
with the Council's recommendation regarding the convening of a
United Nations conference on environment and development,
particularly with the need to provide new resources for
developing countries to deal with environmental questions.
RAVJAAGIIN MOUNKHOU (Mongolia) said this year's summer session of
the Council had made adequate progress on pressing international
economic issues, which was required by the growing
interdependence of the international community. The resolutions
on international economic co-operation, strengthening
multilateral co-operation and international economic affairs
were of particular importance. The work of the United Nations on
population activities should be strengthened, as well as work on
human resources development, which required an integrated
approach by the United Nations system. The resolution on the
integration of women in development should also be implemented
as soon as possible.
Mongolia attached great importance to the 1992 conference on
environment and development, he said, and the developing
countries required additional resources to protect the
environment. Desertification and drought were serious problems
in Mongolia, and an appropriate framework should be developed to
deal with those issues. Regional action for the protection of
the environment would help co-ordinate national ecological
efforts. The Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States
would promote international economic co-operation, and enhanced
multilateralism should prevail in the preparations for the
international development strategy for the fourth United Nations
Development Decade.
ADIAN SILALAHI (Indonesia) expressed condolences to China and the
United States for the tragic situations they were facing as a
result of the recent earthquakes. He expressed satisfaction
that, as noted by the Under-Secretary-General for International
Economic and Social Affairs, the major preoccupation of the
Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) work this year had been
with development, international economic co-operation and the
role of the United Nations. That was a positive development
against the background of the momentous changes, challenges and
opportunities that marked international relations at the end of
the 1980s.
Referring to the general discussion which took place at the
Council's summer session, he recalled that one of the main
issues in that discussion had been external debt and net
transfer of resources from developing countries, including the
impact that that situation had on the economic growth of such
countries. He called for the creation of an international
economic environment conducive to helping debtor countries out
of their dilemma. The Council had continued to make progress on
the question of regional co-operation, he said. He stressed
Indonesia's interest in the results of the work at the
forty-fifth session of the Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific, as well as the progress made in the
implementation of the Jakarta Plan of Action.
* Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501)
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